> I've seen people get
>*really* upset over dying. Of course, I think it's totally
>reasonable to roleplay depression or anger or whatever at
>your death, but I often sense people's level of upsetness is
>very REAL, and not just roleplayed, and not just normal
>"darn, I'm frusterated that I lost a game".

It's because i know that Real life isn't fair, but a game should be.
God knows,abernyte and myself have berated each other for deleting perfectly serviceable characters since time began (Rank 17 paladin abernyte?) but typically for rather different reasons to each other.

If a character can get killed by essentially being perma-lagged like that once, what's to say it's going to happen -everytime-. Coming upon the quite obvious failings of your character is rather depressing.
(yes in that situation if aber had no-rem weapons etc etc)
Also the biggest contributer is dying to someone you feel you shouldn't have ever ever died to in a million years, the humiliation is intense.